The Twilight Samurai: Zero's begining
by killerroxas
Summary: Reloaded and ready for those who wish to read. Currently typing Chapter 5  Summary: The story of the newest member of the Organization whose name and number both go by Zero. Rated T for language and a bit of necessary blood in Ch. 3
1. Chapter 1: A Journey's Beginning

**A/N: Welcome to the story! As the pic in the top left corner of the page says I'm killerroxas. Now, for those of you that have read this story before: I've rewritten the first chapter only for the reason that I found the original terrible and lacking… _something, _mainly just not looking like complete crap.The co-author Killerkerblader and I have also had a few ideas about a bit of a better plot for Zero. For those of you just joining us, once again welcome to the story. Enough of my prattling, time for the story! Before I forget, all flames will be used to burn Mansex into a pile of ash on the ground.**

**A quick note: Zero has been modified from his original age to be 16 given I forgot that when a Nobody "dies" they freeze at the age they died, at least as I see it in my head canon.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except Zero, Hikari, Yami, their words, and any of the OC's that appear here unless stated otherwise. Everything _else_ belongs to their respective owners.**

**Exclaimer: If you don't like my story, don't read it.**

(In an unknown plane between Light and Darkness…)

A pair of blades met in a shower of sparks and who appeared to be a young woman in a white cloak fell backwards as her strength left her momentarily. "You're slowing down in your age, Hikari. A thousand years ago, you'd have been able to avoid me." A man in a black coat said as he spun his sword, a black katana, around in his hand. His blade was strange to anyone's eye; it was notched, scratched, and looked like it would be destined for the trash heap soon if not for the fact it burned with an aura of black fire around it.

"A thousand years ago we wouldn't be fighting like this, Yami." Hikari said as she shakily stood. "Come back to the Light, come back to the Guardians." She pleaded as she rose, her own pristine, pure white blade, glowing with a bright, though fading and flickering, white aura. "Master (_) wouldn't want this."

"Master (_) trained me for the Darkness, Hikari; my name is proof of that. As for the Guardians… They've been gone for longer than we've been around; why restart a dead order when you can't find a suitable heart to take up the mantle and the remaining members of said order are at war with each other? They deserve to stay gone." He raised his blade and brought it down in a swipe, causing a slash of pure dark energy to fly towards the Light wielder. She raised her blade as a barrier of light erupted between the slash and herself. With a tremendous shattering sound, the barrier failed, breaking like a pane of glass as Hikari was blown off of her feet.

"You're wrong. I'll prove that to you…" She told him as she disappeared through a portal of light, using some of the last bits of her failing strength.

"I await the day when you can, old friend…" Yami chuckled as he opened a dark corridor and walked through, following his target.

(On Destiny Islands...) (Zero's POV)

"So, let me get this straight. You three have been off adventuring on other worlds and seeing Gods know what while I've been stuck here with Wakka, Tidus, Selphie, Vaan, Penelo, Larsa, Hope, Vanile, and the rest of our class doing schoolwork that bores the living hell out of me? I feel like I got the short end of the stick got bashed repeatedly into my head." I said as I carefully stood up on the Paupou tree and grabbed one of the hanging star-shaped fruits.

"It's not our fault you got left behind! After all, you were the one that didn't come to help us with the old raft." Sora laughed as he leaned back against the tree.

"Are you sure you should be eating those? I mean, sure you don't believe in what they can do, but don't they taste nasty just being eaten right off the tree like that?" Kairi asked warily as I took a bite of Paupou.

"Kairi, you know he won't listen. He's probably been eating those things longer than we've have known him." Riku laughed as I took another bite.

"It's not my fault I like them! They're so juicy and sweet- who's that?" I asked as I pointed down at a white coated figure, a woman by the look of her, down on the part of the beach Tidus and the others used for sparring. All four of us gasped though when she fell to the ground with an audible cry of pain as she hit the ground.

Without a thought in my head, I dropped my fruit and dove off the tree, landing heavily on the sand below the small raised island, rolling to cushion my fall. Sora, Riku, and Kairi quickly followed me, Sora and Riku both summoning their Keyblades as they ran. I slid to a stop by the woman and quickly looked her over. "You need a doctor fast. Sora! Riku! I need a hand here!" I called as they ran to the stairs inside the 'Seaside Shack' as we called it.

"No, there's no time for that." She said as she looked me in the eyes, seeming to stare straight into my soul. "Your heart…. Your heart looks pure and corrupt; full of kindness and cruelty; one ready to use both Light and Darkness to protect and destroy without hesitation. I told Yami I'd find a person to take up our mantle…" she said more to herself than to me. "Take my weapon and use it to defend your friends, they'll need it. He won't be far behind me." She said as she summoned a katana, snow white and perfect, while glowing with a pure white aura. She pressed the blade into my arms. "Go… I shall watch over you so long as you serve the Light." She sighed as the last of her strength left her and a flash that momentarily blinded me happened. When my sight returned I looked down and the woman was gone as if she had never been there. I slowly stood, still holding the blade she had given to me. I seemed to stand still for the longest time, processing that someone had just died in my arms when I became aware of Sora and Riku's voices.

"Zero! Zero, focus you idiot!" Riku yelled as he whacked me over the head with a free hand, the other holding 'Way to Dawn' as he called it.

I barely processed the hit; more focused on the weapon I had just been given. "What, what is this?" I asked holding up the blade thinking either of Keybearers would know.

Sora looked over it. "Never seen anything like it before…" He said as he thought.

"It's a weapon of the purest Light in the hands of a novice. How pathetic, I was expecting a challenge." An almost demonic sounding voice said as a man in a black coat appeared from what Sora and Riku had described to me as a Dark Corridor.

Sora, Riku, and I immediately went into fight mode, each of us striking a battle stance with our respective weapons.

. "Who are you and why are you on our world!" Riku yelled at the man, a glare on his face.

"Name's Yami and I'm here for that that guy." He said casually as he pointed at me and summoned a beaten and battered looking blade. It looked notched, scratched, and old though what made me shake was the fact the blade ignited in a black inferno. "Trouble is, I need him dead." He took a step towards us just as Riku and Sora rushed him, both giving battle cries.

The man known as Yami looked almost bored as he blocked both Sora's and Riku's weapons. With a twitch of his wrist I almost didn't catch he disarmed both Keybearers and gave them sharp cracks over the head with the hilt of his sword, knocking them out cold. "Pathetic Keybearers." He spat as they fell into the sand, their weapons vanishing in flashes of light. "They may have come after our Order fell and been hailed as heroes by those who knew about them, but they could never hold a candle to the Guardians. Now, to business." He said as he ran at me.

With Sora and Riku out cold only one thought came to mind: protect Kairi. Sora would never forgive me, more importantly he'd beat me to within an inch of my life, if she got hurt. With a war cry of my own I ran at the cloaked figure, intending to buy some time until Riku and Sora got up.

With the same bored expression Yami sidestepped me and opened a Dark Corridor in front of me. "Let's go somewhere we can discuss something. Shall we?" He asked as he kicked me though the portal. The last thing I heard from the Destiny Islands side of the Corridor was the sound of keyblades being summoned and Riku yelling "After him, Sora!" before something in my mind was overloaded by an intense feeling of Darkness and I lost consciousness…

(Yami's POV)

I looked back to see the kid by the name of Sora run at me again. "Enough of this. Dark Finale!" I cried as I pointed my blade at the Keyblader. A strong blast of the most potent Darkness under my power fired from my blade at the boy, causing him and his friends to dive out of the way and the blast itself to leave a deep black mark on the giant tree in the middle of the island. "That's all folks!" I laughed as I dove through the Corridor, closing it seconds before either of the boys could jump through.

I landed on a certain beach in the Realm of Darkness and surveyed who had apparently been Hikari's choice as a new Guardian. "Not much to look at…" I mused, already noting the changes to his appearance. His hair, which had originally been somewhere between blond, black, and brown by the look of it, was now turning to a clear snow white and his eyes, which had been emerald green, were turning into a deep sapphire blue. "Already messing with how he looks? Ha, you're still as vain as ever, Hikari." I chuckled. "Well, it's time to get down to business. If this is supposedly our chosen replacement let's see if he can wield the destructive powers of Darkness." I said as I placed my hand on his brow and used a bit of my power to delve into his heart.

(Zero's POV)

I awoke on what was seemingly a platform over nothing but a void. "This is amazing…" I muttered quietly.

"What was that? Don't you know it's rude to whisper in the company of others?" Yami's voice said as the man himself appeared holding his black blade.

"Wha-What're you doing here?" I said, trying and failing to sound braver than I felt, Riku and Sora were the best fighters Destiny Islands had to offer, if this guy could beat them without any form of effort… I shuddered to think of what would happen to me. I held up my blade and pointed it at the cloaked man. "If you want me dead, then you'll have to fight!" I called earning a laugh from Yami.

"You want to play, Kid? Then let's play!" He cried as he rushed at me. I don't know how but I saw that he was moving slightly slower than before and noticing details about him I think I normally wouldn't have. I blocked one of his strikes with what could have been ease, if it wasn't for the fact that for each strike I parried or blocked there were what seemed like three more coming. We kept at it for I'm not sure how long until I noticed a tiny, minute flaw in one of his strikes that I hadn't think I'd seen before. I felt a strange feeling come over my mind, almost like a guiding hand as I twisted in a way I didn't think I could. At the end of my strike I ended up behind and facing away from the cloaked figure with my blade buried in his spine.

I saw Yami looking back to me and at my eyes, almost as if he were staring straight through me, just like that woman he had called Hikari had before she gave me her blade. "Well, looks like you found the guy you were looking for, Hikari. He'll do well enough, Master was never that picky so I guess I won't be." He said seemingly to no one.

He pulled himself off my blade as if he were simply pulling himself up from the ground and did something I didn't think anyone who had just taken the wound he had just taken could do. He stabbed me in my heart as he literally started fading away. "I give you two gifts, Kid. One, my blade; use it as you see fit. So long as you fight you shall wield the unstoppable forces of Darkness." He said as a ball of light appeared at my chest and started floating up and away. At once I fell to my knees, the pain of whatever I had lost too great for me to take standing. I think Sora had called it, what was it he had said, a heart? "Two, I grant you a partial immortality. Time shall not ravage you, though a length of steel being shoved through you will still do a fair bit of damage." He chuckled, "oh, and to make sure you don't start blabbing things you shouldn't I'm taking away a few of your memories. You'll still remember everything you should: your normal memories and a select few about me -modified of course- but you'll never really remember me, Hikari, or even how you got your weapons until the time comes." He gasped as his torso started fading away. "When you next wake up, take the coat on the ground next to you and put it on; wait for the man that comes to get you and go with him. He may seem familiar. Now, you be a good boy now!" he said as, with a snap of his fading fingers, he combusted in another black fire. I suddenly found myself falling back, though I don't think I ever hit the ground. The calming hold of unconsciousness had already taken me….

(Who know how much time later…)

I awoke feeling strange, almost empty. I looked down to see a black coat and a strange blade resting beside me. I carefully pulled on the coat and picked up the blade, looking it over and twirling it a couple times in my hand to test the balance. _'Well, time to get to training_.' I thought as I found a second, strange blade strapped to my back. I raised the two blades and brought them down on the head of an imaginary enemy, beginning a bit of self-training for the day…

(What felt like years later…)

I lowered my blades for the day and sheathed them, wiping the sweat off my brow. Just then, portal appeared, one that sparked a few memories of my past. I brushed the memories aside as a man in a black coat stepped through and calmly walked over to me. "Are you Zero?" the man asked almost boredly.

"That depends. Who the hell wants to know?" I asked with venom in my voice.

"Just a member of a concerned Organization." He said. With a movement I almost didn't catch, he pulled something out of his coat and brought it down. At once, a sharp pain exploded in me, centered around a spot on my head. With the last thought of _'What the hell just happened?'_ I lost consciousness….

(Once again: An unknown amount of time later…)

I awoke in a white room, a bedroom by the look of it, with my blades hung on a rack above my head. "Where the hell am I?" I muttered as I strapped my blades to my back and carefully snuck out of my room to explore my new surroundings.

**A/N: Well, that took forever to write. Sorry to those of you who were expecting chapter five. A quick note on that: It's in the works; I just have to modify a few things. Also, sorry for the lack of updates, life's just keeping me from writing more. Enough of my prattling, Chapter Five will be out soon, I just need to get a few things fixed up for it. Before I forget, REVIEW! It lets me know if I need to change anything or fix typos; or it tells me whether or not you liked the fic.**


	2. Chapter 2: New Recruit

**A/N: I'm finally back after my long leave of absence due to a laptop failure! *cheers from the readers* When we last left Zero he was exploring the strange place Xemnas has brought him to, where is he now? Well, let's wait and see…**

**Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belongs to Square Enix and their respective companies. Zero, his weapons, and his words are MINE.**

**Exclaimer: you don't like? Simple solution: Don't read.**

When I returned to the room I woke up in after exploring what I found out to be a castle and finding many rooms including a pool, casino, greenhouse, shooting gallery, library, and a few assorted bedrooms with Roman Numerals on them.

After sharpening and cleaning my blades as well as waiting a few hours Xemnas entered the room. "Welcome to the Castle That Never Was, Zero. I apologize for the rather…. "violent" method I used to get you here." He said eyeing the lump on my head. I made a show of getting out Light and checking the edge by slicing a vase of flowers cleanly in half as well as seeing Xemnas' face turn pale as a ghost's.

"No worries." I said calmly putting Light away. "Why do want me here anyway? Is this some kind of cult initiation?" I asked.

"Why does everyone think we're a cult?" Xemnas sighed. "To put it easily, Zero, you've been selected to join Organization 13. A special group of strong willed Nobodies or beings without hearts. We want you to join because we think you have the right qualities."

"What qualities are those, might I ask?" I asked deciding to mess with the old dude. "My dashing good looks, my intelligent mind, my immense strength, all of the above?" Xemnas responded by hitting me square in the mouth and sending me flying across the room. "Nice hit old man." I said standing and rubbing my jaw.

"No, these qualities are your powers, your skill, your mental will, but it is time for me to cease my speech. Will you join us, Zero?" he asked.

I thought it over for a minute _what choice do I have?_ I thought. I pretended to mull it over for a second longer and gave my answer. "Fine, Xemnas, I'll join the Organization."

"Excellent!" Xemnas cried clasping his hands together. "Now for your number and Proof of Existence…. I've got it! Your number shall be Zero." I rewarded him with a look that said 'you, sir, are an idiot.' but he didn't notice. "Now for your Proof of Existence…" He muttered as he looked at my crimson and sapphire blue eyes, my black and white blades, and my midnight black hair streaked with snow white. "Zero." Xemnas said seriously. "I christen you the Twilight Samurai."

"Hooray." I said sarcastically "Now what, old man?" I said, bored to death that I had to stick around this idiot.

"Now we introduce you to the rest of the Organization. Come." Xemnas said stiffly as he led me out of the room and through a maze of hallways.

"Wait until I give you the signal then enter." Xemnas said before walking into the room.

Soon, I began to hear more voices in the room and began to sweat. _Oh, great. _I thought, _you could take on an army by yourself but when you need to appear in front of a crowd you're worthless. _

I heard Xemnas begin to speak. "Good tidings, friends. Today is a momentous day. I am pleased to announce that a new comrade has been chosen to wear the coat. Why don't you join us, Number Zero?"

I pulled my hood over my head and entered the room, kneeling in the center of the floor and noting the fourteen thrones high off the air. "So, you're the newbie? Welcome to the club, kid." I stood and looked at the speaker; he was a red headed man with green eyes.

"First off, my name's not "kid." Second, my name's Zero, same as my number." I said agitated.

The red head held up his hands in a claming gesture. "Ok, ok. No need to get burnt up about it. The name's Axel, got it memorized?"

I nodded and looked around the room seeing a blonde with green eyes glaring at me. "What's her problem?" I asked. I heard a low buzzing in the air and moved quick enough to defect a knife thrown at me into the air. "A Kunai," I said sheathing Light and catching the knife, "it takes skill to throw these with such accuracy."

"Really?" she said in mock amazement, "I didn't know that."

_What a bitch. _I though as I caught sight of a guy with a mullet and a sitar. "Hey!" I yelled up to him, putting the kunai in my coat. "Nice sitar, mind giving me a few pointers on how to play?"

The guy's face brightened considerably. "Sure," he said happily, "I'm Demyx and the bitch that almost stuck you is Larxene- oh my god, HELP!" His next words were drowned out by screams; Larxene had launched herself from her throne and onto Demyx's, proceeding to beat the living hell out of him the second he was in reach.

"Oh God, not again." I heard a guy with silver-blue hair groan.

"What? This is normal?" I asked in disbelief.

"Unfortunately. Here, take this you'll need it." He said calmly tossing me a black book.

"_The Complete Guide to Organization 13,_" I read aloud, "thanks?"

"Don't mention it, seriously don't. EVER." He said glaring at me.

_Is everyone here always so antisocial? _I thought as Xemnas finally regained control of the situation.

"ENOUGH!" Xemnas yelled as he finally pulled a very pissed off Larxene off a burnt and twitching Demyx. "Zero, now that you've met us you'll need to go to Namine for any questions you could have."

"Ok, where is Namine?" I asked eager to get away from this madness.

"She's probably in her room drawing, I'll show you!" A girl with black hair said as she jumped off of her throne and grabbed me by the wrist. I barely had time to utter a word of thanks before I was literally dragged out of the room and down another set of halls.

As we were running, I caught the faint smell of chocolate and sugar off her coat. "Big on sweets?" I asked as we turned a corner.

"Maybe…." She said with a grin. "I'm Xion by the way." She added.

"Hello, Xion, it's very nice to meet you," I said politely, "I'd shake your hand but then both of us might end up on the ground."

Laughs met my greeting. "Well, we're here." She said brightly as she came to a sudden stop in front of a door.

I attempted to stop with her but tripped and face planted straight to the floor. "That hurt…" I groaned as I stood.

"Zero, are you ok?" Xion asked eyeing where I had landed.

"Fine," I said shrugging off my pain and reaching out to the door, "thanks for helping me, Xion."

"Bye, Zero, hope you have a nice meeting with Namine. I have to get back to the Gray Area or Siax is going to be ticked." She said as she walked away.

I entered the room and was immediately assaulted by what was possibly the most white I had ever seen, the only color in the room were the drawing and sketches covering the walls and floor. "These are pretty good" I said quietly, eyeing one that bore a near frightening resemblance to me.

"Thank you, Zero." A voice from behind me said sweetly making me turn in shock, my hands flying to my blades on instinct. I lowered my hands from my blades when I saw the speaker was only a blond girl with blue eyes wearing a white dress.

I opted for a polite approach "I apologize for my reaction, you startled me. Who are you? " I asked.

"My name is Namine," She said simply. "I know Xemnas sent you here so I could answer any of your questions, mostly due to the fact he won't get off his lazy ass and do it himself." She added quietly. "Do you have any questions?"

"Only a couple. First, how long was I in the Realm of Darkness?" I asked wanting to know how much time I had spent in that god-awful place.

"You were away from the realm of light for six years." she said, "what's your next question?"

"Do you know anything about these weapons? I looked in the library I found when I was kind of looking around and I couldn't find anything. I found plenty on some weapons called keyblades but nothing on weapons like mine."

I laid my blades on the table nearby and Namine carefully looked over them, drawing them in a sketchbook. "I'm sorry." She finally said, a look of sadness crossing her face, "I can't find anything about them at all. Our library holds all the research from both the Organization members and Ansem the Wise; if there's nothing there I don't know where you could look."

The look in Namine's sad eyes almost caused me pain myself, "It's okay. I guess I'll just have to make the best of my unknown weapons." I said smiling trying to get her to cheer up. After a few minutes, a smile was back on Namine's face. "Now what is there for me to do in the Organization?" I asked as I looked around the room.

"Now you rest, Zero. Tomorrow you have to go with Axel to Twilight Town for training." She told me.

"Training?" I scoffed, "I know what I need: how to fight and how to survive."

"That may be, Zero, but we still need to see what you can do. That way we know what kinds of missions to give you." She said sternly but not unkindly.

"Ah, an evaluation. Well, I need to get back to my room and rest then so I can have some sleep that doesn't involve me being knocked unconscious." I said getting up.

"Wait. Why were you were unconscious?"

"Your Superior knocked me out with a frying pan that I believe he pulled either out of his coat or out of his ass, more likely the second option." I said casually.

I saw what I could have sworn was anger in Namine's eyes but the emotion vanished in a second. "I'll have to talk to him about that." She said calmly. "You can go." She said in dismissal.

"I'd love to go and get back to my room for some real sleep…. but I have no clue where my room is. Would you care to assist me?" I asked sheepishly.

Namine looked surprised but shrugged it off and led me back to my room. "Thanks." I said as I sat down at the desk in the corner, tossing the book Zexion had given me out of my coat to land neatly beside a pen. "What are you doing?" I asked seeing Namine holding a pencil and drawing something.

"Hold still, I'm adding you to the picture," she said. Bewildered, I obeyed and held as still as I could. "Done." She said in satisfaction as he tore the page out of her sketchbook and handed it to me. I looked at the picture with a smile; it was a group drawing of the whole Organization along with myself kneeling between a blond kid with a pair of blades that looked like keys and Xion.

"What's this for" I asked in confusion.

"So you can be sure that you're one of us now, Zero. Enjoy your evening." Namine said calmly as she left the room without another word.

'_This place might not be so bad.' _I thought as I tacked the drawing to my wall, threw my coat over the chair near my desk, and fell back onto my bed letting sleep cover me like a soft mist.

**A/N: Well, it's good to see that I'm finally back to writing. Expect chapter three in a few weeks or sooner if I can get a good Word program on my laptop. The laptop failure deleted all my good programs, of course. Damn my luck. Ah well, next time on Twilight Samurai: Zero's Beginning, Basic Training with Axel and Magic training Larxene! Be sure to leave a review to let me know how I did but as stated in chapter one: all flames will be used to burn Mansex into a smoldering pile of ash on the floor.**


	3. Chapter 3: Basic Training

**A/N: Welcome back to The Twilight Samurai: Zero's beginning. Here's a quick recap of what happened last chapter for those who've forgotten: Zero joined Organization 13 as number 0 and was christened the "Twilight Samurai" as his Proof of Existence. Today, however, he goes off to Basic and Magic training with Axel and Larxene respectively. Now away we go to see what kind of hell Zero causes today.**

I awoke to Axel hammering on my door. "Wake the hell up, newbie! Early to bed early to rise make a man healthy, wealthy, and less likely for Siax to come and smash you out of bed with his claymore. Now get your ass outta bed and get to the Gray Area!" he was yelling.

After a few grumbled threats, a cold shower, and getting lost once on the way I made it to the Gray Area. It was pretty much a giant living room with a few couches, a couple coffee tables, and a moogle hovering near the door selling items.

I approached Axel and a man with blue hair and pointed ears. "Hello number 0." He said, "I am Siax, today you will be going with Axel to Twilight Town so we can evaluate your basic fighting skills."

'_No shit, Sherlock, I know my mission' _I thought but I deemed that would be unwise to say so I simply bowed and said respectfully "Of course, I'll serve the Organization as best I can."

Siax smirked and opened a dark corridor. "Let's go, Zero." Axel said as he walked through casually. I stepped through the portal and was immediately greeted with a feeling of something changing and strengthening in my mind. It stretched and I felt a profound feeling of _darkness_ pulse in my head. I had just enough time to think, '_What the fuck?' _before I exited the corridor.

"You ok? You look kinda pale." Axel asked when he saw me. We were in the Underground Concourse, one sign read.

"I'm fine, let's just get this over with." I said as the feeling in my head faded a bit, I could still feel it though it was dampened considerably now that I was away from the darkness.

"Alright, follow me." Axel said as I followed him up a tunnel and out of the Concourse and out onto an area with a tram circling it; the Tram Common area according to another sign. "Xemnas thinks that there's a Darkside in the area, most likely in that alley." He said gesturing to the place in question. "If you can kill it, I'll tell Mansex you can fight."

I pulled my blades from my back and turned to see Axel leaning against a synthesis shop wall. "You aren't coming?" I asked.

"This is an evaluation too man, got to make sure you know how to hold your own." Axel responded.

"Meh, I work better on my own anyway." I said as I entered the alley. I ran into what I thought was a big, black wall but looked up to see the biggest heartless I'd ever seen. _So __that's__ a Darkside,_ I thought. "Hey! Down here you oversized piece of darkness!" I yelled to get the thing's attention.

"What, kid?" the Darkside said its' voice echoing in my head as a hiss.

"I'm here to kill you, pray to whatever God you worship and prepare to die!" At this, the Heartless bursted out laughing.

"A kid like you, beat a big bruiser like me? That's rich!" the thing laughed as he pointed at me. Enraged, I jumped up and used Dark to slice off the hand that pointed at me. The heartless looked at me in shock. "I'll kill you for that you little bastard!" The Darkside yelled as it brought its' remaining hand down to crush me…

(AXEL'S POINT OF VEIW)

I was leaning up against the wall of the synthesis shop enjoying some Sea-Salt ice cream when I began to hear a loud screaming noise from the alley I had recently sent the Newbie into. I pictured his face as he came running out terrified and smirked, "Now ain't that a charming image." I said as the screaming was suddenly cut short.

My eyes widened as I dropped my ice cream and summoned my chakrams _Aw man. The Superior's gonna kill me if that kid got whacked. _I thought as I cautiously approached the source of the screams. My mouth fell open in shock when I saw Zero walking out, calm as you'd like, with a smile on his face and wiping a small bit of purple blood off his black blade.

(ZERO'S POINT OF VEIW)

I took one look at Axel's face and bursted out laughing. "You should see your face!" I gasped as I leaned against a wall to keep myself up.

"But the screaming-"Axel began.

"- was the Darkside begging for its life." I finished, "So, do I pass?"

"Huh?" Axel gave me a blank stare.

"Training, Pyro. Do I pass my training?" I explained.

"Dude, you took down a _Darkside_ on your first time out in the field. Of course you pass." Axel said. "Go ahead and RTC without me, Zero. There's something I gotta take care of while I'm here." He turned and started making his way up a slope to a clock tower without a backward glance towards me.

"That's fine by me." I said making my way back to the RTC point.

After another portal trip, and another strange head freak out, I stepped into the Gray Area to find Siax waiting for me. "What do you want Siax?" I asked. In truth I was eager to kick back in my room and sleep for a while.

"We're sending you back into the field Number Zero. You're to continue your training, this time in magic." He said.

I was a little annoyed that he was sending me back into the field so early but I figured it was better to get this training over with. "Fine. Who's training me? Demyx? Zexion?"

"None of the above." Siax said with a smirk. "You're being trained by Larxene."

My face paled as the demon herself stalked into the room. "Let's get this over with, Newbie." She groaned without even a glace in my direction.

I followed her through and this time head freak almost caused me to lose my balance. "Stop that." I muttered as I entered the Sandlot.

"Well, thanks for finally joining me, new guy." She said with a glare as a few Heartless moved around the area, there were seven altogether. "These are Neoshadows, there's a population of them in Dark City. You're going to take them out using magic, which means no blades."

"Aren't you going to help?" I asked.

"You're kidding right? I'm relaxing; this is one of the few times I can have two second to kick back without Mansex bitching at me." She laughed.

"Jeez, what a bitch…." I muttered as I blasted one of the heartless with a fireball. 'This is easy.' I thought as I took out a second Neoshadow with a shock of thunder. I took a third out with a blizzard spell and turned to another when I ducked a claw from behind. The Neoshadow I had recently run through with an ice shard was getting back up and it looked _pissed, _I reacted without thinking. I ripped by blades from their sheathes and sliced the Heartless in half. With a screech the rest of the Heartless rushed not only me but Larxene as well. She jumped up with a graceful flip and landed beside me summoning her kunai. "Look what you did now, newbie, you pissed them off!" she growled as she incinerated a Neoshadow with a thundera spell. I didn't bother to respond as I sliced a pair of Heartless in half. 'Two left…' I thought as I saw Larxene blast a Neoshadow into oblivion. 'Okay, one left.'

The remaining Heartless looked truly desperate so it did the one thing it could to gain the upper hand: It kicked sand into Larxene's face. When she raised her hands to get the sand out of her eyes the Neoshadow struck, stabbing its' hand into her stomach. She fell to her knees as the heartless raised its' claw, a triumphant shine in its' eye so I did the one thing that ran through my mind: As the Heartless brought the claw down towards Larxene's throat I jumped between them. The claw sliced through my face like a knife through butter, painting my vision red as blood started to weep from the five gashes on my head. Lashing out with Light I heard the sound of the last Heartless die, "Come on," I said to Larxene who was, as of now, holding her stomach, "up you get."

"Just leave me, Zero. There's no way anyone would miss me in the Organization." Larxene said as I half-dragged half carried her to the RTC point at the Station.

"That's not true." I said firmly. "Besides, maybe if you didn't act like a total bitch all the time you'd find a couple of those Nobodies can be pretty cool." Larxene chuckled, grimacing when the pain became too much. I decided to keep her talking, more to keep us both awake than anything else; we even got in a few painful laughs at Axel's expense.

Suddenly, Larxene collapsed dragging me down with her. "Larxene?" I yelled in shock when she didn't get up. Picking her up bridal-style I rushed to the RTC point, almost flying through the portal. The second I reached the Grey Area I collapsed, moving so that I cushioned Larxene's fall. "Holy shit!" Axel yelled when he saw us, "Roxas, get Namine in here!" I heard the squeak of boots running out of the room, minutes later I saw a blood tinted pair of white sandals enter my line of sight.

"What hap- get them separated so I can see their injuries." Namine said commandingly as I felt Larxene carefully pulled away from me and I saw her laid on a couch barely within my sight as Namine stood over her. Reaching out over her wound, Namine said in a strong voice, "Cura." A small but bright ball of light dropped from her hands and vanished into Larxene's wound. Namine repeated the spell a couple more times before she was completely satisfied with her work. "She lost a bit of blood but she'll be fine. Just give me a minute to rest…"

"We may not have that kind of time." Axel said indicating the growing pool of blood coming from my head.

Namine took one look at my head and I could almost feel the concern around her. "Get him over here now!" she said as Axel and Roxas hurried to obey her. I was put down alongside Larxene and Namine's hand entered my view. "Curaga." She said strongly. Another ball of light, brighter than the one that had healed Larxene, touched my face and at once I felt cool, soothing, relief spread across my face as I felt my cuts heal and the blood I lost being restored. I rose to my feet after the healing, looking at Namine with joy in my eyes but saw regret in her's. "What's wrong?" I asked concerned.

"Your eye," she answered, "if I were better rested you wouldn't have those scars." Confused, I picked up a mirror Marluxia usually used to check his pink hair and looked at my face. Sure enough, five red lines of scar tissue stretched across my face.

I saw Siax approach me. "In light of today's events you are hereby postponed from training until tomorrow." He said.

Too tired to argue, I managed an "Alright, Siax." Before I passed out and the darkness of a peaceful oblivion took me in its arms…

**A/N: Well here we are chapter 3 at its best! Sorry, my faithful Readers, that it took so long to get this out but I just wanted to make sure this chapter was exactly the way I wanted it before I sent it in. Now, next chapter we've got Limit Break training with Larxene (that'll be explained in the next chapter for those of you saying "Bu-but Lexeaus trained Roxas for Limits!") and Recon training with Vexen. (AKA: the Ice-Man) See you all when Chapter Four gets typed up, edited, and published!**


	4. Chapter 4: ReconLimit Training

**A/N: Welcome to Chapter Four. To those that say "Larxene's out of character in chapter three." I agree but I'm contributing her behavior to the fact Zero saved her ass and she decided to open up to him (also blood loss). If you got a problem with it, I find no reason to bitch on it. Responding to the one real flame I got: M, I don't really care about your opinion, the majority of my readers enjoy my work and like my exclaimer says: You don't like my story? Don't read my story. To my other reviewers: I thank you for your reviews and hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.**

**Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts as well as its' characters and locations belong to Square Enix and their respective companies. Zero, his weapons, and his words are MINE, got it memorized?**

**Exclaimer: Don't like don't read. (I'm looking at you flamers!)**

I awoke with a start, near rolling out of my bed in my hurry, but the shock of yesterday was nothing compared to the shock of who I saw when I looked to my right. It was Larxene, sleeping calmly beside me. "What the holy hell?" I asked rhetorically when she opened her eyes.

"What?" She asked with only a slight glare on her face, ruined from the look of drowsiness clear in her eyes.

"What the hell are you doing in my bed?" I asked back flatly.

"Well, Mansex wanted you brought back to your room. I brought you back, I was tired, and your bed looked comfortable. You piece the rest together." She said with a grin. She stretched out and I saw she still had at least a T-shirt on; half of me thanked Kingdom Hearts that she was still wearing something. The other half was a little disappointed. "Let's go. Now that we're awake we need to head to the Gray Area, the only reason Siax hasn't claymored us out of here is because of what happened yesterday." She said as I traced the five scars on my face.

With quick movements I was ready and we both headed out to the meeting room to get our missions from Siax. "Ah, numbers XII and 0. Today, Larxene, you're going to train Zero in Limit Breaks." He said with his ever present calmness.

"Wait. Doesn't Lexaeus teach Limits though?" I asked confused.

"Lexaeus has other, more pressing, matters to attend to at the moment. You are to go with Larxene." He said with an air of finality as he opened a Corridor.

"What? You'd rather have that Rock teach you than me?" Larxene said with a grin as she stepped through. I could hear Axel shudder behind me as I stepped though as well. "I don't know what's up with Larxene but I'm almost afraid for the new guy." He muttered to Roxas before I was out of earshot.

I stepped out into the Sandlot and looked around. "So, how do I do a Limit?" I asked.

"Well, first you have to be on your last legs…" she said with a devilish grin.

"Hey wait a minute Larx-" The rest of my sentence was cut off as what felt like twenty thousand volts hit me. When the pain finally ended I fell to my knees, my vision flickering.

"Now you're on your last legs." Larxene said satisfied with her handiwork.

"Ok, you've almost killed me, now what?" I said standing shakily as my vision cleared.

"Focus. Draw on your last dregs of energy and release it all in one burst. First though, we need a practice dummy…" she mused as a Mega-shadow appeared. It looked like the small Shadow Heartless only on a larger scale. "Perfect. Now, use a Limit and waste its ass!" she yelled eyes glinting at the thought of the violence and pain I was going to be causing.

Following her instructions I drew upon the last dregs of strength I had, I amplified them, and then I let it all out in one go. The power I felt was like nothing I could have imagined. I felt two sides at total war with each other (like each was repulsed by the other presence) with my body functioning as both a conduit for the power and a battleground for the war so I did the only thing I could think off: Instead of throwing myself into one side of the power I threw myself into the middle of the storm, taking both powers asmy own.

"Darkness and Light fight as one!" I cried. I ripped my blades from their sheathes and took a look at them. Light glowed brighter than ever and Dark was covered in black flames. I ran at the Mega-shadow with a war cry. Its claw darted out towards my throart though I only leaned back like a reed bending in the wind to dodge it. The Heartless lunged, stabbed, and struck with a feral lust for blood though I moved with speeds I didn't think I had and each attack missed me. "My turn." I said with a grin as I held up my blades. Without thinking I stabbed the Heartless through the chest, dark electricity arcing up on it. I jumped back as it swung at me, springing away in a blur. I rushed it again as it ran at me, stabbing it through the chest just as it almost impaled my head, it's claws a mere inch from my head. "Well it's been fun, but at least you're going out in a big bang." I whispered as a blast of light power destroyed the Heartless leaving my blade stabbed into nothing but air. "Requiescat in pace." I muttered as the power left me and I sheathed my blades. I chanced a glance at Larxene and saw she was trying not to look impressed. "Well? That enough of a Limit for you?" I asked with a grin.

She shook her head as if clearing it. "I- I've seen better." she stuttered out as she tried to regain her composure..

I stepped past her and opened the portal with a wave of my hand. "Let's get back, I want this training finished today and I don't want to spend any more time with The Chilly Academic than I have to." I said calmly.

"The Chilly Academic, you memorized out Proofs of Existence?" Larxene asked.

"Yeah, you got a problem with that Savage Nymph?" I responded with a cocky grin while I popped an elixir I had gotten off the Moogle in the Gray Area. I got no answer as we stepped through the portal.

The second I stepped out of the corridor I was greeted by the sight of the Ice Man. (believe me not something you want to see often) I looked Vexen in the eye. "Let's just get this over with, Ice Dude." I sighed.

"That's _Lord Vexen_ to you, _Neophyte_." Vexen growled

"_Lord_ Vexen? I see you as more of a court Jester, just like I see Siax as Xemnas' bitch." I responded coolly.

"You would dare to speak to the greatest mind in the Organization in such an insolent manner?" The Chilly Academic roared.

"Greatest mind in the Organization? Ha! I'm sure you couldn't even beat me in a chess match!" I laughed.

"Challenge accepted, Neophyte. When we return from your training I'll show you." Vexen said causing Demyx to lay a sour note on his sitar, Zexion to drop his book, and Marluxia to drop a pot of flowers he was looking at. They all looked at us in shock.

"Your screwed, Zero. No one's beaten Vexen at chess. EVER. Not even Zexion could beat him." Demyx said.

"Then I'll be the first. Come on Ice Man, let's get his over with." I said stepping through the corridor of darkness and ending up in the tram common area of twilight town.

Vexen stepped out of the portal and closed it behind him. He cleared his throat. "Why do we do reconnaissance, number zero?" he asked.

"So we don't do into a world completely blind and get our asses kicked by the Heartless there?" I guessed.

"Correct, mostly correct anyway. Now, walk around the area and find all there is to see. Report back to me when you think you've can tell me everything." He ordered as I set out around the area.

About twenty minutes later I came back to him. "Ready to report?" he asked.

"Yep, from the shops I can see this is a downtown area. The trains here look to be the preferred method of transportation around here. The streets slop because of the fact this place was built on a mountain and the clock tower over there," I pointed. ",seems to be the highest point in the town. The tunnels I've been seeing were made as an underground way to get around the town quickly but were never made safe for the townspeople, that about it?" I asked confidently, being rewarded with seeing Vexen's all knowing smirk slide off his face. He hitched it back on quickly though.

"You are correct. I could have found many more details you left out but I won't bother to explain it to you." He said though I could tell I had impressed him.

"We should get back, Vexen. I'm sure you want to try to show me up in a game of chess." I said boredly.

Vexen made not reply; he simply opened the Corridor and stepped through. After I went through myself and caught a look at the Gray Area my jaw dropped. The couches that were normally gathered around the two coffee tables in the room were instead around a simple table with a glass chess set on it. Roxas and Xion were in a corner selling refreshments and I could even see Luxord taking bets. "The hell's with this setup?" I asked.

"Like it?" Axel said as he seemingly appeared from no where, "It took us only a few minutes to set up but I like the way it turned out don't you?"

"That's not what I mean. What the hell's going on?" I asked again.

"Let's see… You show up out of no where, save Larxene yesterday, slaughter a Darkside the day before and now you've challenged Vexen to a game of chess. Everyone wants to see what'll happen." Axel summed up.

"Fine, let's get this over with…" I said as Axel ran up to the group of nobodies.

"Alright, everyone to your seats! Luxord stop collecting bets! Roxas, Xion, close up shop!" Axel said running off to deal with something or another.

I took a seat opposite of Vexen; him playing as white, I the black. "Your move." I said as we began the match….

(Six matches later…..)

"Checkmate." I said again causing Vexen to burst into tears.

"How so you keep winning?" he cried.

"I guess Fortune herself just smiled upon me." I said as Vexen was led back to his lab by a few Dusks.

"You cheated didn't you?" Axel asked walking up to me.

"Yep, ain't it great?" I said with a grin as I went back to my room to relax for the day, waiting for what could possibly come next what with my training done.

**A/N: FINALLY this is finished. Sorry it took so long, life was once again being an uber-bitch (Zero: Translation: he procrastinated Author: Shut the hell up Z and get away from the mic!) but, hey, what're you gonna do? I'll try to have Chapter five out when I can but I'm not making any promises. I assure you, it'll be ready when I can get it the way I want it. Before I forget: Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, and Happy/Merry any other holiday I may have missed to all of you!**


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